


Their Paradise

by KaijinKyn



Category: Hatoful Kareshi | Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: Bird/Human Hybrids, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Post-Canon, Romantic Friendship, Shared Dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 09:54:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9229502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaijinKyn/pseuds/KaijinKyn
Summary: They dream of each other, a paradise of their own. After everything, they probably deserve the rest.





	

“Winter!” Hiyoko exclaimed, her voice as jovial and expressive as ever as the three of them trekked through the snow, her pace just a little faster than both Ryouta and Nageki, the two of them struggling to keep up with her long strides. “A time to rejuvenate, to be lively! Doesn’t the cool air make you want to go exploring, guys?”

“It makes me want to go home.” Nageki grumbled, grunting as he got a leg caught in a snowbank and yanked it out hard enough to topple over, only saved from being both cold _and_ wet by Ryouta, who caught him just in time.

“You alright?” Ryouta asked, red eyes filled with concern. If Nageki were ever to try and sympathize with the doctor, it would be over his preferred colour - the mourning dove could definitely see the appeal in red.

Of course, the doctor preferred a specific _shade_ of red, but that was neither here nor there.

“Y-Yes, thank you.” Nageki stammered, feathers fluffed up with embarrassment as he righted himself, looking away from the worried rock dove to hide his red face. He hated being doted on, it reminded him of how smothering Hitori had been, especially after the orphanage. It wasn’t as if Nageki hadn’t appreciated the care, it was just how useless it made him feel.

He hadn’t been able to help. Before, or after, or any time after that. Useless until the end.

“...Nageki?” Hiyoko had rejoined them, her hands behind her back as she rocked on her heels, brown eyes meeting Nageki’s own. He’d heard people describe his eyes as sad. He wondered if that was how they looked now.

“Sorry, Miss Tosaka.” He murmured, ducking his head at the two of them apologetically. “I was thinking about the past.”

“It’s alright, Nageki.” Ryouta said, his reassuring smile holding more than just consolation - his own grief, his own pain, his own guilt, his own rage.

Nobody was perfect, they all knew this well. Nageki knew he could be kind and he knew so could Ryouta - but they were allowed to feel. Nageki was allowed to resent, Ryouta was allowed to be bitter.

Hiyoko was allowed to feel these things too, of course. But she held no grudge in her heart, only love.

A cold breeze drifted by, rustling the feathers on Nageki and Ryouta’s faces, Hiyoko’s short, chick-blonde hair being picked up momentarily before settling back against her shoulders.

“...C’mon!” She said suddenly, voice regaining it’s optimistically loud volume. “I can see a bench over there, we can go sit down if you’re tired!” Then she was off, barreling ahead of both birds and creating a relatively snow-free path for them to follow.

“...You know you don’t have to call me and Hiyoko ‘Mr Kawara’ and ‘Miss Tosaka’, right?” Ryouta spoke up suddenly, his voice holding an amused tone. Nageki recalled Ryouta having been, before everything, a worried boy who’s tone of voice had always been apologetically happy, as if someone had told him it was a crime to enjoy life.

That was a bit hypocritical, Nageki supposed, considering how he hadn’t been alive when he’d met the other bird. Still, he knew why Ryouta had been like that - Hiyoko had told him about Ryouta’s mother’s failing health, his strain to support both himself and her without a father. Hiyoko had told him that before, Ryouta had been a much happier boy with a much more mischievous personality.

Perhaps it was selfish of Nageki to be glad Ryouta didn’t have to worry about any of that anymore. He was so much happier like this. Wasn’t it easier this way?

“I...I know, Mr Kaw- Uh, Ryouta. It’s a hard habit to break, Hitori taught me to address strangers as ‘Mr or Miss’...” Nageki explained, taking a somewhat childish delight in crushing puffs of snow under his feet. His shoes looked nice today.

“We’re your friends, Nageki.” Ryouta replied, his head forward and his expression content. Nageki’s eyes flickered towards the other’s face wildly for a moment, confused. Friends? Nageki hadn’t ever really had a friend. Brothers, sisters, yes - never a friend.

“I’m...Friends? Really?” Ryouta glanced at Nageki in return, red eyes alight with amusement and playfulness.

“Of course, Nageki. You and I kind of share a body now, remember? It’d be awkward if we _weren’t_ friends.”

“And...Miss Tosaka? Hiyoko?” Ryouta didn’t answer for a moment, coming suddenly to a stop a second later. Nageki paused beside him, wings unfurling as the winter chill grew cooler to wrap around himself.

“Y’know, Nageki, before all of this happened, I was worried…” Ryouta trailed off, red eyes looking through Nageki rather than at him for a moment before focusing on the mourning dove properly, a calm look on his face. “I was worried that I’d lose Hiyoko because of how close she was to you.” Nageki blinked, unsure if he’d heard correctly.

“Close? To me? Miss Tosaka and I weren’t-”

“Maybe you never realised, Nageki, because you’d been alone for so long.” Ryouta’s eyebrows drew together as he interrupted Nageki, his own wings unfurled and feathers slanted sideways in the wind. “But, Hiyoko really did spend a lot of time with you! Every day she’d go up to the library to see you, and I was scared. Scared that she’d leave me behind. But,” Ryouta smiled, not unkindly as he turned his head to look in the direction Hiyoko had gone, the snow already covering her tracks. “I’m not really worried anymore.”

“Why? Because I’m dead?”

“No, because we’re friends too.” Nageki was quiet, looking down at his talons with a frown. He didn’t understand. What was Ryouta trying to say? “It would be nice if we could all stay like this, Nageki. But Sakuya promised he’d come and get us, remember?”

“Come and get you, and Hiyoko.”

“You’re coming too. We won’t leave you behind.” The rock dove threaded a talon with Nageki’s own, who looked up sharply into kind red eyes. “I’m not worried anymore, because we’re close now too.”

“...Really, Ryouta…”

“Heeeey! What’s taking you two so long! Hurry up before they run out of ice-cream!” Hiyoko called through the blizzard and it was like there had never been a storm in the first place, the snow settling without so much as a whisper.

“...Why ice-cream? In the winter?” Nageki asked, expression one of confusion, his captured talon warm in Ryouta’s own.

“Why not? It’s not like it makes a difference here, right?”

“True. Why winter, though?”

“Hmm...Maybe something good will happen today!”

“Eh? Do you really believe in stuff like that?”

“It’s better than believing in nothing!” Ryouta smiled and it lit up the snow, his talon squeezing Nageki’s. The mourning dove said nothing, looking away with a small smile on his face.

This wouldn’t last forever. Their imaginary paradise would soon fade away and their dream would soon end.

But for now? They were happy. They were safe. They were together.

* * *

 

“ _Wake up, Kawara! Tosaka! I told you I wouldn’t go back on my word!”_


End file.
